Beautiful - Gorgeous
by thesamesadstories
Summary: The Justice League and the Team kick off the new year. And so do Artemis and Zatanna.


Artemis sighed.

It was New Year's Eve, and the entire Justice League and even the Team were in the Watchtower, which had been decked out to make for the perfect party atmosphere.

And a perfect party atmosphere it was.

All around, Leaguers and Team members were eating and drinking, talking and laughing, dancing and feeling the excitement of the night and the new year to come.

Artemis didn't exactly share the enthusiasm. She had been lingering near a corner of the room for a majority of the party, just watching her friends mingle and flirt, never once noticing how Zatanna watched her from across the room—or the way she started to walk towards her.

Artemis turned her head and met blue eyes, acknowledging—and welcoming—Zatanna's presence.

Zatanna raised an elegant eyebrow as she stood a few steps away from Artemis. "Hey."

Artemis nodded. "Hey." She managed a small grin before she returned to sulking over how Megan and Conner fed each other bits of food from one of the many buffet tables across the room, being way too cute and couple-y.

Zatanna smirked knowingly. "What's wrong? Don't have anyone to kiss this year?"

Artemis sighed. She didn't feel like denying it any longer. "Yeah. Pretty much."

Zatanna tilted her head. "What about Wally?"

Artemis furrowed her brow and looked at Zatanna almost challengingly. "What about _you_?"

Zatanna raised an elegant eyebrow.

Artemis faltered. "I mean, uh—who are _you_ going to kiss? Robin?"

Zatanna made a face. "Boy _Wonder_?" She rolled her eyes. "_Ugh_. _No_. He's practically a kid."

Artemis furrowed her brow. "He's twenty. He's a _year_ younger than you. A year younger than _us_. And you can't tell me you don't notice the way he ogles over you."

Zatanna flipped her hair to the side. "_Well_. Be that as it may…" She crossed her arms. "He's not my type."

Artemis arched an eyebrow. "Then who is?"

Zatanna shrugged. "I prefer blondes." She took a slow step towards Artemis. "And…_judging_ from how you dodged my question about _Wally_… I take it you don't like redheads."

Artemis made a face. "I prefer brunettes."

Zatanna smirked and slowly ran her eyes up and down Artemis's body, missing the way gray eyes stared at the floor, stuck in a conflicting internal battle.

Artemis quirked her lips and shifted on her feet before she looked at Zatanna, missing the way dark blue eyes blinked up at her. She stuck her hands in the pocket of her hoodie and shrugged. "It's New Year's Eve. Surprises happen all the time. It makes a great cover for someone who has no experience when it comes to kissing and stuff."

Zatanna's lips parted, and she looked at Artemis. "You've never kissed anyone? I thought you and Wally…"

Artemis scowled slightly. "No. Wally just likes to say he kissed me that year. But it never happened. My kicking his ass never happened either." She let out a tired breath before she shrugged. "I haven't done anything with anyone."

Zatanna looked at Artemis and nodded slowly. "Ditto…."

Artemis's mouth opened slightly in disbelief. She furrowed her brow. "_You_? You've never done anything with anyone?"

Zatanna gave Artemis a slight grin and shook her head. "No…. Why? Does that surprise you?"

Artemis let out a short laugh. "Uh, a little, _yeah_."

Zatanna raised her eyebrows and smirked. "Why?"

"'_Why_?'" Artemis said. She let out an incredulous breath and held out a hand, gesturing to Zatanna's, well…everything. "Zee, you're… You're beautiful—_gorgeous_. You're talented, and sly, and clever, and all of these things people practically throw themselves at your _feet_ for."

Artemis slowly dropped her hand and shook her head. "Do you really not see that…?"

Zatanna gave Artemis a small grin. "Do you really not see that about _yourself_…?"

Artemis's lips parted, and she furrowed her brow in thought, looking at Zatanna with curious eyes.

Zatanna smirked slightly. "Just…_know_," she said as she took a step closer, "if I'm going to do _anything_ with _anyone_… They have to be someone I trust. Someone I know cares about me—about who I am. Someone who respects me—all of me." She tilted her head and looked into beautiful gray eyes. "Someone I can see myself with for a long time…if not ever."

Artemis's lips parted, and she looked back at Zatanna, taken by her words. "Ditto…" she said quietly.

Zatanna grinned at the look in Artemis's eyes before she nodded. "Come on. The ball's going to drop soon."

Artemis blinked before she glanced around.

Sure enough, their fellow Leaguers and Team members were focused on the large holographic screen, the live feedback from Times Square playing in all its HD picture, sound, and glory.

Artemis and Zatanna walked over and lingered behind the rest of the Leaguers and Team members as the signature New Year's Eve ball began its slow descent.

It was only a matter of time before the countdown began.

"10…9…8…"

The Leaguers' and Team members' excited, anxious voices echoed those of the people that crowded the streets of Times Square and block after block on the screen.

"7…6…5…4…"

The Leaguers and Team members began to fidget, anxious as the ball dropped lower and lower with each eager breath.

"3…2…1… _HAPPY NEW YEAR_!"

The room erupted into loud cheers and the clinking of glasses as the Leaguers and Team members toasted to the new year and started it off with kisses and hugs and alcohol—and pure, unadulterated happiness.

Artemis watched as some of her fellow Leaguers and Team members began to kiss each other left and right. She made a face. "_Ugghh_. Let the makeout sessions begi—"

Artemis was cut off as Zatanna grabbed her by the front of her hoodie and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.

Artemis blinked out of both surprise and pleasure before she hummed, and her eyes fluttered closed as she wrapped her arms around Zatanna, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss.

Zatanna gripped the soft material of Artemis's hoodie, her heart fluttering as she returned the kiss with just as much passion.

After a few moments, Artemis and Zatanna slowly pulled away, their hearts racing slightly from the rush.

Zatanna looked at Artemis and smiled slowly. "I think I've found a mouth more magical than _mine_…."

Artemis's lips twitched into a grin at the sly tone in Zatanna's voice, and the way elegant eyebrows emphasized the jest of her words.

Zatanna smiled lightly at her own joke, her blue eyes bright and amused.

Artemis looked at Zatanna, and she shifted uneasily and glanced at the floor. "I've been so fucking nervous about this, but…" She swallowed and looked into striking blue eyes. "Zee, I want to be with you. I want us to be together. I want us to be a sickeningly cute couple like Megan and Conner—but in our own badass way. That is…only if you want to be, too."

Zatanna grinned gently at the undertones of vulnerability in Artemis's eyes and tone before she smirked and raised a sly, elegant eyebrow. "Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

Artemis met Zatanna's gaze evenly. "That depends. Are you saying yes?"

Zatanna wrapped her arms around Artemis and pulled her closer. She grinned. "Yes. I am."

Artemis smiled a bright, happy smile and returned the embrace. "Then yes—I was asking." She blushed slightly then and looked at Zatanna with a shy quirk of her lips. "And now…?"

Zatanna chuckled before she tilted her head and looked at Artemis with fond blue eyes. "And now we're dating." She grinned slowly. "Finally."

Artemis smiled widely then, and she leaned in and pressed a slow, soft kiss to Zatanna's lips—a kiss that Zatanna returned all too eagerly.

Artemis hummed as Zatanna breathed against her mouth and deepened the kiss, their hearts racing at the sensation of it all.

Across the room, Roy and Raquel grinned as Megan and Conner pulled away from their own sweet embrace.

Raquel slowly shook her head. "I swear—I better have me someone come next New Year's."

Megan giggled. "You will, Raquel. You're beautiful. And amazing. You're _awesome_."

"_Not_ to mention a badass," Roy added with a small grin.

Megan chuckled and shot Raquel an assuring smile. "You'll find someone. Or they'll find you."

Conner grinned slightly. "There's someone for everyone."

Raquel laughed. "Yeah…. You two are right. Darn love experts…." She shook her head before something caught her eye across the room, and she let out a short chuckle. "_Speaking_ of love experts…"

Megan, Conner, and Roy followed Raquel's gaze, and they all shared similar shocked and mildly amused expressions before they made their way through the crowd of their fellow Leaguers and Team members until they were a few feet from a _particular_ Leaguer and Team member.

Raquel smirked before she raised her hands to her mouth and began to holler and whistle. Roy winced slightly around a laugh and a smile as Megan fangirled, jumping up and down and clapping her hands excitedly while Conner stood beside her with his arms crossed, a faint grin on his lips.

Artemis and Zatanna pulled away at the commotion, and they looked to see their friends standing by them, watching them with bright, knowing eyes.

Roy grinned playfully. "Well that's _one_ way to kick off the new year."

Megan laughed and clapped her hands happily. "It's about _time_!"

Raquel crossed her arms and smirked. "For _real_."

Roy furrowed his brow and held up his hands. "And, uh… Happy New Year…?"

Megan smiled brightly. "Yeah! Ditto!" She looked at Artemis and Zatanna with a wide grin. "You know the person you kiss on New Year's is supposed to be the person you're going to spend the rest of the year with?"

Artemis blinked and glanced at Zatanna—at the small, innocent smirk playing on her lips.

Roy crossed his arms and gave Artemis a playful, knowing look. "And I highly doubt Artemis was the one to initiate _that_ New Year's kiss."

Artemis looked at Roy and rolled her eyes, mimicking his stance. "I would have gotten around to it eventually…."

Roy laughed. "_When_? When you _finally_ got the guts to ask Zee to date you _without_ her initiating anything first?"

Artemis shot her fellow archer a glare. "Shut up."

Raquel laughed. "Hey now. Come on. Save the friendly banter for later. The party's still going on." She grinned at Artemis and Zatanna. "Congratulations, guys. And happy New Year."

Conner grinned. "Yeah. Happy New Year, you two."

Roy gave Artemis and Zatanna a small smile. "What they said."

Artemis and Zatanna grinned.

"Thanks, guys," Zatanna said.

Artemis nodded. "Yeah. Thanks. Happy New Year."

"Let's get back to the _party_!" Raquel said, raising her hands up as she turned and made her way to the dance floor. "Come on, Roy Harper! Show me what you got on the dance floor!"

Roy chuckled and shook his head before he followed after Raquel.

Megan clapped excitedly before she grabbed Conner's hand and led them back through the crowd. "Oh, this is so great! We'll have to plan double dates and sleepovers and…"

Artemis and Zatanna chuckled and watched as their friends fell back into the swing of the party.

Artemis sighed softly and stuck her hands back in the pocket of her hoodie. She looked at Zatanna and gave her a coy grin. "So…"

Zatanna smirked slowly, already knowing the lingering, unasked question. She looked at Artemis suggestively and leaned in closer. "Kiss me…?"

Artemis smiled, her gray eyes bright and content. "Always."

Away from the high of the party, Artemis and Zatanna wrapped their arms around each other and brought in the new year with another deep, passionate kiss, the promise of many more to come lingering in the breaths between their lips.


End file.
